ALBANY, N.Y., April 16, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Three physician scientists whose landmark research helped transform the treatment of cancer are the recipients of the prestigious Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, to be officially awarded May 17.

The $500,000 award, given to those who have altered the course of medical research, is one of the largest prizes in medicine and science in the United States.

This year, the prize will recognize groundbreaking research into the nature of cancer, which has led to the development of a new generation of cancer drugs, most notably Gleevec for chronic myeloid leukemia that, unlike chemotherapy, target specific genetic defects causing cancer.

The recipients are:

Prize award activities on May 17 will include a Grand Rounds lecture by Drs. Rowley and Druker followed by a press conference and luncheon in Albany, N.Y.

James J. Barba, president and chief executive officer of Albany Medical Center and chairman of the National Selection Committee, said, "These individuals exemplify the extraordinary impact that painstaking research can have on the lives of countless individuals. These visionary scientists have advanced our understanding of cancer, vastly improved our ability to treat this devastating disease and given hope to so many around the world. On behalf of cancer survivors everywhere, I thank Drs. Druker, Nowell, and Rowley for their contributions in our fight to eradicate cancer."

The Albany Medical Center Prize was established in 2000 by the late Morris "Marty" Silverman to honor scientists whose work has demonstrated significant outcomes that offer medical value of national or international importance. A $50 million gift commitment from the Marty and Dorothy Silverman Foundation provides for the prize to be awarded annually for 100 years.

Five Albany Prize recipients have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.

Joseph R. Testa, Ph.D., co-director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, called the trio's work on chronic leukemia "one of the finest examples ever of translational research," the process of making basic scientific research useful for practical applications.

"Their collective achievements opened new fields of cancer research and have improved the lives of many," Testa said.

View original post here:
Cancer Treatment Pioneers to Share America's Most Distinguished Prize in Medicine